Internal-combustion engine



A ril 6 192s J.F.METTEN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed June 9, 1922 HYVENTOR g mm Patente Apr. (5, 19269 EATENT FFICh.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed June 9,

To aZZ whom z'zfmay concern: I

Be it known that I, Join? F. Mn'r'rnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combust-ion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionrelates to internal combustion enginesand particularly to such engines of the well .known Diesel type. The object of this invention is to provide an engineo'f this type which will be double-acting, developing driving pressure on each side of the piston. In the designs for double-acting o-il engines proposed heretofore the conventional design of the single-acting engine has been generally followed by introducing, a stufiing box in a lower cylinder head which is fitted with the usual fuel, exhaust and intake valves. In other words, the design of the upper part of the single-acting cylinder has been applied to the space below the piston. This has necessarily resulted in extreme diiiiculty in placing the lower group of valves owing to the space taken up at center by the water-cooled stuffing box around piston rod. In addition difficulty has been met in satisfactorily arranging for the fuel injection owing to the interference oi' the piston'rod. This has led to the employment of two piston rods, the fuel being injected across the lower combustion space between the two rods. The group of valves installed in the lower or crank end of the cylinder result in such complicated arrange ment of the valve gear as to render the stuffing boxes and the valves difficult of access while the valve cages inserted from the bottom difficult to handle. Another objection is that the jacket in a doubleacting engine must carry oit double the quantity of heat absorbed by the jacket than the single acting engine, while the cooling area is only slightly increased by the surface of the lower head and the rod. In general the mechanical difliculties involved have proved such that the double acting engine of this type is still in an experimental stage.

In order to overcome these objections and provide a practical double actingDiesel engine the structure of this invention has cylinders arranged in pairs with one'e nd. of each cylinder of a pair in efiectivefi coln- 1922. Serial No. 567,026.

munication with the opposite end of the other cylinder and the pistons displaced 180 in the engine cycle. This permits the crank end of each cylinder to be free from valves so that the valves are in the upper part of the cylinders only. The combustion passages connecting the cylinders are also advantageous in operation and the structure as a. whole provides an increased cooling surface which avoids overheating of any of the engine parts. i

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention A .Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in vertical section of a pair of engine cylinders,

' Fig. 2 is a similar section taken at right angles to the section of F i 1,

. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 33 of Fig. 1,

F 4 is a vertical section on line l-l of Fig. 8, and

Fig.5 is a view similar to Fig. 4. illustrating a modification.

In the specific embodiment of the inven tion shown in the drawings a pairo-f cylinders 7, 8 having pistons 9 and 10 with piston rods 11 and 152 andconnecting rods 13 and 14 drive the crank shaft 15. The crank bearings of the rods 13 and ll are approximately 180 apart so piston 9 is moving up while piston 10'is moving down and vice versa. The top or" cylinder 7 is connected to the lower end of cylinder 8 by a. passage 16 and similarly the top of cylinder 8 is connected to the lower end of cylinder 7 by another passage 1. The passages 16 and 17 comprise cylindrical pipes extending between the cylinder castings and having bends at each end and the cylinders and pipes 16,17 are all enclosed in a surrounding casing 18 providing a water jacket around the cylinders and pipes, the water entering through supply pipes 19 and leaving through outlet pipe 20. Stufiing boxes 22 are provided in the lower cylinder heads while the upper cylinder heads have the usual intake and exhaust valves 23, 24- in the intake and exhaust passages 33, 3st. Passages 16 and 1'? are of such cross sectional area asto provide proper velocities of intake air and exhaust to the space below the pistons and to give the requisite volumetric capacity for. propercompression ratio.-

Theret'ore each of these communicating tacit itate passages becomes the combustion chamber .into 'bustion takes )lace.

..h fuel is injected and initial com? 7 V The pistons 9. 10 have only sutiicient clearantc at the upper and lower edge at each end of their stroke to avoid the po*'bility of striking. Each pair. of c \,lin ders as shown on the drawings will then have two separate combustion chambers connecting the space below the piston in one cylinder to the space above the piston in the opposite cvlindcr. The fact that the force of'combi ion is from a common combustion chamber to the top of one piston acting on one crank and to the. bottom or the other piston acting on the other crank insures an equal division ot the load between the two cranks and these same conditions apply to thecompression load and to the exhaust and intake trokes.

The con' ined passage and combustion chamber 16 or 1'? is water jacket-ed all around and thus provides the necessary cooling capacity desirable in double acting engines. of this Diesel type. Yi'hile the water jacket system shown in the drawings is com.-

' mon to the two cylinders and the two combustion passeparate jacket systems tor the cylinders and combustion passages may be provided as desired for temperature control in practice. Since each combustion passage 16, 17 is of a length approximately equal to that of the cylinders ample axial space is provided "For the spray from double fuel inlef" and there is ample travel of the oil star, in this soace without striking cooled surfaces (see Fig. 4;). The oil may be injected by airblast or the solid injection principle can be used. In the system shown in 1 to 4t fuel is admitted by a single fuel valve located at the center ot'the combustion passage and arranged to discharge equal amounts of fuel in opposite directions parallel with the axis ot the passage. Instead of this system two separate fuel valves 36., 37 may be used (see Fig. one located Tat each end of the combustion passage. Owing tothe length of travel of the fuel particles permissible with such a form of combustion chamber a spray of high velocit can be employed of such form as to a hi degree of atomization combined mth a maximum penetration of the compr ed charge of air. The delivery of the compressed charge simultaneously to opposite ends of the combustion passage causes an increased turbulenceot the charge and a correspondingly improved combustion.

In the. specific example shown in the drawings the engine is of the four cycle type. thc details of the usual valve gearing being omitted for the sake of simplicity. In each cylinder the intake valve 23 opens during a downward stroke of its piston and ad mits a charge of air to the upper end Of its cylinder and through thiscylinder and the connecting combustion passage to the lower end of the other cylinder. 7 The succeeding upward stroke of the one piston and the corresponding downward stroke of the other further compress theair and. as the pistons reach the end of the compression stroke, the fuel is injected through the fuel valve or valves and thoroughl mixes and combines with the air in the connecting combustion passage. 'lhecombustion ot'the atomized fuel and the resulting expansion drives one piston down and the other up and the exhaust gases on the next stroke pass out through the combustion passage and exhaust valve. I

It. is well known that the the maximum temperatures exist in the initial combustion space, which in the present standard 'lorm of single or double-acting internal combustion engine is in the shape of a shallow disc, the periphery of which is formed by the cylinder bore and the upper and lower surfaces by the inner cylinder head and piston walls. These walls involve, by reasonot their relatively large unsupported area. thicknesses of metal that are greater than desirable for maintaining the proper temperature gradient in the wall, being exposed on one side to the intense heat o t combust ion under high pressure and on the other to the temperature of the comparatively cool circulating water. The restricted travel neces; sarily involved before the entering 'tuel impinges on the metal surfaces results in a high 'local concentration of the heat. particularly on the piston head. 13). the combustion pas sage 16. 17 of this invention a chamber is provided whiclris common to the working ends of adjacent cylinders and the initial combustion is confined to this chamber which is Tot suclrtorm as to give maximum resistance to internal pressure for a given wall thickness. With this arrangement the high initial temperatures surrounding the point of admission of fuel are not directed upon the horizontal piston or cylinder head walls but are concentrated in a chamber with vertical surfaces of moderate thickness that can be more etlectively cooled. and by reason of its form it is tree from features that are likely to result in cracks forming from overheating. Advantage can therefore be taken of higher compression ratio; and initial pressures,

The principle of this invention may be evtended to niultrc 'linder engines having a larger number of cylinders by arrai'ig'ing the cylinders in groups up to any number re quircd. lYhile the invention is illustratwl in connection with specific embodiment in a four cycle engine it is not confined thereto but may be used in two cycle engines. The valves also may be variously placed de" sired for instance to positionthc intake and exhaust valves nearer to or within the combustion passages and to change the location of the fuel valve to give the most advantageous distribution of the fuel in the combus tion spaces.

I claim 1. In an oil engine, the combination with the engine cylinder, of a combustion cham' ber extending lengthwise at the side of said cylinder, intake and exhaust valves, and means for injecting fuel oil in said chamber in opposite directions.

2. In an internal combustion engine the combination with a cylinder and valves therefor of a combustion chamber of generally cylindrical form connected to the end of said cylinder, and a fuel supplying means in said chamber adapted to inject fuel in a direction parallel to said cylinder.

3. In an oil engine, the combination with a plurality of engine cylinders, of a combustion' chamber connecting the outer end of one cylinder with the inner end of another cylinder, intake and exhaust valves located at the outer end of one of the cylinders, and means for injecting fuel oil in said chamher.

4-. In an oil engine, the combination with a'pluralit-y of engine cylinders, of a combustion chamber connecting the outer end of one cylinder with theinner end of another cylinder, intalre and exhaust valves located at the outer end of one of the cylinders, and means for injecting fuel oil in said chamber in opposite directions.

5. In an oil engine, the combination with a plurality of engine cylinders, of a combustion chamber extending lengthwise with relation to said cylinders and connecting the end of one cylinder with the end of another cylinder, intake and exhaust valves, and means for injecting fuel oil in said chamher in the direction of length of said chamher.

(i. In an internal combustion engine the combination with a plurality of cylinders, of a combustion chamber connecting the end of one cylinder to the opposite end of another cylinder, and a fuel supply means in said passage adapted to inject fuel in opposite directions along the length of said passage.

I In an oil engine, the combination with a. plurality of engine cylinders, of a combustion chamber connecting the outer end of one cylinder with the inner end of another cylinder, a second combustion chamber connecting the outer end of the second cylinder with the inner end of another cylinder, intake and exhaust valves, and means for 111- jecting fuel oil in said chambers in opposite directions.

8. In an oil engine, the combination with a plurality of engine cylinders, of a combustion chamber connecting the outer end of one cylinder with the inner end of another cylinder, a second combustion chamber connecting the outer end of the second cylinder with the inner end of another cylinder, said combustion chambers extending lengthwise with relation to said cylinders, intake and exhaust valves, and means for injecting fuel oil in said chambers in the direction of length of said chambers.

9. In an oil engine, the combination with a plurality of engine cylinders, of a combustion chamber connecting the outer end of one cylinder with the inner end of another cylinder, a second combustion chamber connecting the outer end of the second cylinder with the inner end of another cylinder, in-

- take and exhaust valves located at the outer ends of the cylinders, and means for inject- (a mg Iuel oil in said chambers.

10. In an internal combustion engine, a

pair of engine cylinders, a pair of passages extending parallel to said cylinders, one of said passages being connected with the outer end of one of said cylinders and with the inner end of the other of said cylinders, and the other of said passages being connected with the inner end of the first cylinder and the outer end of the other cylinder, and intake and exhaust valves on the outer ends of said cylinders to cause said passages to act as intake and exhaust passages to the inner ends of said cylinders.

11. In a double acting oil engine, a pair of engine cylinders, a pair of combustion chambers extending parallel to said cylinders, one of said chambers being connected with the outer end of one of said cylinders and the inner end of the other of said cylinders, and the other of said chambers being connected with the inner end of the first cylinder and the other end of the second cylinder, intake and. exhaust valves on the outer ends of said cylinders to cause said chamber to act as intake and exhaust passages to the inner ends of said cylinders, and means for injecting fuel oil in said chambers in opposite directions along the length of said chambers.

12. A. double acting internal combustion en 'ine comprising a pair of cylinders hav ing their opposite ends connected by comlnistion passages extending parallel to said cylinders and having fuel supply means adapted to inject fuel in opposite directions along the length of said passages.

JOHN F. METTEN. 

